Oral Lymphoepithelial Cyst — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: A — A painless 3–8 mm yellow-white submucosal nodule on the floor of the mouth or ventrolateral tongue
The correct answer is A. An oral lymphoepithelial cyst characteristically presents as a small, smooth, painless yellow or white submucosal nodule, usually measuring less than 1 cm. The lateral or ventral tongue and floor of the mouth are the principal sites. Histologically, it is an epithelial-lined cyst associated with surrounding lymphoid tissue, with desquamated cells and keratinous material often present in the lumen. A larger bluish floor-of-mouth swelling suggests a ranula. Recurrent gingival vesicles suggest intraoral herpes, while a non-scrapable plaque and a flat pigmented macule represent keratotic and melanocytic lesions respectively.
Reference: Cunha JLS et al. Oral Lymphoepithelial Cyst: A Collaborative Clinicopathologic Study of 132 Cases from Brazil. Head and Neck Pathology. 2022;16:268–277. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34185247/